


Inhale, Exhale

by orphan_account



Series: Lamp City [1]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Futurefic, M/M, Post-Season/Series 06, Short Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-19 19:05:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7373815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I just let another good thing go<br/>Gotta inhale<br/>Exhale<br/>The stress kills me but the sex sells<br/>Gotta inhale<br/>Exhale<br/>'Cause I don't really know what I'm doing, oh no..." - "Inhale" by Cam Meekins</p><p>Mickey Milkovich wasn't prepared for this chance encounter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Inhale, Exhale

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this up quickly based just on a sudden idea while listening to Cam Meekin's great album Lamp City. This super short little fic is what came out of that.

Mickey Milkovich was doing good.

He'd begun working as a car mechanic. It wasn't his ideal line of work, but it was legal and the money was good. He was saving in the hopes of getting out of the hell hole of the Southside. Mandy had returned after he got released after three years due to some good behavior, overcrowding and maybe some bribing. They were both doing good, better than anyone expected them to be. 

Mickey's day went how it usually does, with the hard, sweaty, messy work of a mechanic. After a day's work, he'd go home quick, shower, and pick up Mandy from her work at the coffee shop. 

"Welcome to David's Coffee, fuckface." She said as he walked in. He smirked at her quip. "Do you want anything before I clock out?" She asks, and Mickey thinks for a moment.

"The usual?" He asks, eyebrows raised. Mandy nods and whips up his coffee with almost expert precision (he still didn't understand how the coffee making process even worked.) 

"I'll be right back asshole." She says jokingly, and Mickey flips her off as she goes to the back. The door opens (activating the, in Mickey's opinion, annoying-as-shit 'ding ding' noise). Mickey didn't even bother to look up from his phone and his coffee, not really looking to make small talk with some stranger.

"Mick?"

Mickey's body goes cold. He freezes, eyes widening and looking up from his phone. 

Ian's still beautiful; he's still tall, still in incredible shape. He looks a little fuller, a little more mature. His hair is short, a little messy on top, and Mickey can't help but focus on how damn good Ian looks. 

Ian's staring at Mickey, no doubt equally as shocked. Mickey wants to speak, wants to call Ian a piece of shit, a liar, wants to punch him, wants to say how much he's missed him, wants to say he loves him still, wants to fuck him. Mickey can't even think straight; he just knows his legs are taking him out of the store quickly, so, so quickly, away from Ian. 

Mickey doesn't even think about Mandy, forgets about his car parked at the curb. He just walks.

Song lyrics. He can only think of song lyrics. Song lyrics that always made him think of Ian. Song lyrics that served as a reminder.

"Gotta inhale, exhale,  
The stress kills me but the sex sells  
Gotta inhale, exhale,  
'Cause I don't really know what I'm doing, no, no..."

Mickey breathes.

"Inhale, exhale..."

Mickey walks into a little alleyway, and leans his back against the brick wall, trying to take calming breaths. 

His phone buzzes.

"Mandy, I'm sorry-" 

"I understand, Mickey, I do," she cuts him off. "But you need to come back. You need to talk to him. I know it's hard for you...." Mickey squeezes his eyes shut. 

"I can't, I can't... I'm such a fuckin' pussy." He can't prevent tears from falling.

"No you are not." Mandy said sternly. "Please come back. We're about to close down. I can give you the store to talk to him." Mickey takes a deep breath, steadying himself.

"Okay. Okay. I'll be there in a second."

As he puts his phone away, his mind instantly starts racing; telling him to run while he can, just skip out until Ian is gone. But he refuses.

Mickey starts walking, every step seemingly strengthening him. He can finally tell Ian. How broken Mickey was. How Mickey still feels empty. 

"Inhale, exhale."

This was Mickey's chance to hear Ian's side. Mickey wonders if Ian feels sorry. If Ian feels remorse for what he did. 

Mickey wants to hear an apology. 

 

Mickey can see the coffee shop. Mandy is sitting on the hood of the car, but she gets up as Mickey approaches and gives him a hug.

"You got this, okay Mickey? He really wants to make things right."

Mickey can't speak, like his voice is locked in his throat. He only nods, and enters the shop.

Ian is sitting at a table, looking very nervous, but his face softens as soon as Mickey enters. Ian stands up, smoothing down his shirt, as if he wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. Mickey doesn't walk forward, just stares at Ian, not quite believing what's in front of him.

"Hey, Mick." Ian says with a soft smile. 

Mickey's voice comes back to him.

"Hey Ian."


End file.
